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16 May 2015

Saving seed

As much as I love gardening, I confess I often have failures. Plants that don't thrive, leaves that are distorted, or infestations of pests (and yes, I include possums in that category!). It's the small successes, though, that keep me pottering in my garden.

These are the flowers of garlic chives. I don't always eat all the garlic chives I grow because I love to see the flower heads develop. Gorgeous clusters of petals attract the bees, and that's to be encouraged in any garden.

Once the flowers are fully open and starting to show seeds, I cut them off and let them dry in a brown paper bag. As the juices disappear, the petals become husks and pop open to reveal their treasure - seeds.

I shake the black seeds free of their cases and store them in paper. Next spring, I will sow the seeds in the earth and start the cycle of life again. Immensely satisfying.